How to Protect Pipes From Freezing in Florida During a Panhandle Cold Snap

People move to Northwest Florida for the warm weather, so a hard freeze catches many of them off guard. Yet the Panhandle is the coldest part of the state, and most winters bring at least a few nights in the 20s. Knowing how to protect pipes from freezing in Florida matters precisely because our houses were not built with cold in mind. This guide explains why local plumbing is vulnerable, what to do before, during and after a cold snap, and how to keep the rest of the house running when the temperature drops.

Why Panhandle homes are vulnerable

In northern states, water lines run deep underground and inside heated walls. Here they often do not. Supply lines are buried only a few inches down, run through vented crawl spaces and unheated attics, and come up the outside of the house to hose bibs with no frost protection. Well equipment, irrigation backflow preventers and pool plumbing sit above ground in the open.

Inland towns get the coldest nights. Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Bonifay, Chipley and Marianna regularly run several degrees colder than the beaches, and a clear, calm night after a cold front can push them into the low 20s or below. The coast is milder, but homes in Pensacola, Navarre and Panama City Beach are not immune, as recent winters have shown.

When pipes actually freeze

Water freezes at 32 degrees, but a pipe needs time and colder air to freeze solid. The usual rule of thumb is that exposed pipes are at risk when the temperature stays at or below about 20 degrees for several hours. Wind makes it worse. Pipes that are uninsulated and fully exposed, such as a hose bib on a north wall or a well pump with no cover, can freeze at higher temperatures than that.

A frozen pipe does not always burst where the ice is. Pressure builds between the blockage and the closed faucet, and the pipe splits at its weakest point. The flood comes later, when the ice thaws.

Before the cold arrives

Most of the protection is cheap and can be done in an afternoon. Do it when a freeze first appears in the forecast, because hardware stores from Milton to Lynn Haven sell out of pipe insulation quickly.

• Insulate exposed pipes. Foam pipe sleeves cost very little. Cover every pipe you can see outside, in the crawl space, in the garage and in the attic.
• Disconnect garden hoses and fit insulated covers over outdoor faucets.
• Protect the backflow preventer. The brass assembly on your irrigation system is exposed and expensive to replace. Wrap it in insulation or use a fitted cover, and shut off and drain the irrigation system if you can.
• Find your main water shut-off valve and make sure it turns. Everyone in the house should know where it is.
• Cover well equipment. Insulate the pressure tank, pump and exposed lines. A simple insulated enclosure with a low-wattage heat source rated for the purpose is common on rural properties.
• Seal gaps where pipes pass through exterior walls and close crawl space vents for the duration of the freeze.

The night of the freeze

1. Let faucets drip. A slow, steady drip from both the hot and cold taps relieves pressure and keeps water moving. Choose the faucets farthest from where water enters the house and any on exterior walls.
2. Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks so warm room air reaches the pipes.
3. Keep the heat on and steady overnight, even if you normally turn it down. If you are away, set it no lower than 55 degrees.
4. Keep the garage door closed if water lines or the water heater are in the garage.
5. Run the pool pump. Moving water resists freezing. Many pool controllers have a freeze-protection setting that does this automatically.

If a pipe freezes

If you turn on a tap and get a trickle or nothing, a pipe has probably frozen. Leave the faucet open. Find the frozen section, which is often frosted or bulging, and warm it gently with a hair dryer, a heating pad or towels soaked in hot water, working from the faucet back toward the blockage. Never use a torch, a heat gun or any open flame. That is how house fires start, and rapid heating can burst the pipe.

If you cannot find or reach the frozen section, or the pipe has already split, shut off the main valve and call a plumber.

If a pipe bursts

• Shut off the water at the main valve immediately.
• Turn off electricity to any area where water is near outlets, appliances or the panel.
• Open faucets to drain the remaining water from the lines.
• Photograph the damage before you clean up, then start drying. Mold can begin within a day or two in our humidity.
• Call your insurer. Sudden pipe bursts are generally covered by homeowners policies, although damage from long-term leaks or lack of maintenance may not be.

Heat pumps and your electric bill in a freeze

Most Panhandle homes are heated by a heat pump. It is efficient in mild weather, but on a night in the 20s it struggles, and electric resistance heat strips switch on to help. Those strips use a great deal of electricity. A few freezing nights can produce the highest bill of the winter. You can limit the cost by setting the thermostat to one temperature and leaving it there. Raising the setting several degrees at once forces the strips on.

It is normal for the outdoor unit to frost over and run a defrost cycle, with steam rising from it. A unit encased in solid ice is not normal and needs service.

Power outages in cold weather

Freezing nights bring the highest winter demand on the grid, and ice or wind can bring down lines. If the power goes out, your heat goes with it, and on a rural property so does the well pump. Without the pump there is no water to drip, so drain what you can and insulate well beforehand.

This is one of the less obvious reasons homeowners add battery backup. A home battery can keep a well pump, a refrigerator, lights and a small heater running through an outage, and when it is paired with solar it recharges the next day. Clear winter days after a cold front are often excellent for solar production. Our new installations page explains how backup systems are designed, and a Tesla Powerwall from MSM Solar is $15,000 for the first unit and $12,000 for each additional one.

Do solar panels need protection from the cold?

No. Solar panels are built for far harsher winters than ours and actually operate more efficiently in cold temperatures. Frost melts off as soon as the sun reaches it, so do not scrape it or pour hot water on the glass. If your system is not producing normally once the frost is gone, our service team can take a look. Solar hot water systems are the exception: they contain water or fluid and have freeze protection that should be checked before winter.

After the freeze

When temperatures rise, turn off the dripping faucets and walk the property. Check hose bibs, the backflow preventer, the well equipment and the crawl space for drips. Watch your water meter with every tap closed. If the dial is moving, there is a leak somewhere. Then leave the insulation in place. There is usually another cold night before spring.

Frequently asked questions

Do pipes freeze in Florida?

Yes, particularly in the Panhandle. Pipes here are shallow and often exposed, so a few hours in the low 20s is enough to freeze them.

At what temperature should I drip my faucets in Florida?

Drip them whenever a hard freeze is forecast, generally 28 degrees or lower for several hours, and at any freezing temperature if your pipes are exposed.

Should I drip hot or cold water?

Both. Hot and cold supply lines can each freeze, so open the tap to a slow drip from each side.

Does homeowners insurance cover frozen pipes in Florida?

Sudden bursts are generally covered. Insurers may deny claims where the home was left unheated or the damage built up over time, so check your policy.

Conclusion

To protect pipes from freezing in Florida, insulate what is exposed, cover outdoor faucets and well equipment, let taps drip on the coldest nights and know where your main shut-off is. An hour of preparation costs very little next to a burst pipe and a flooded floor.

If winter outages have you thinking about backup power for your well, heat and refrigerator, MSM Solar can help. Call us at (850) 737-5197 or request a free quote, and we will call you back no later than two business days.